AKRSU buoyed by assurance

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dhubri, July 17: The president of the Biswajit faction of the All Koch Rajbongshi Studentsí Union (AKRSU), Biswajit Ray, expressed satisfaction over the positive assurance accorded by the Centre regarding the enlisting of the Koch Rajbongshi community as a Scheduled Tribe (ST).

Ray told The Telegraph today over phone from New Delhi that he had met Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and senior officials of the ministry of home and skill development, entrepreneurship and youth affairs yesterday and discussed the issue at length.

ďA delegation of the AKRSU met joint secretary for the ministry of home Sambhu Singh, deputy secretary Ajay Kanojia and Sonowal and submitted a memorandum to them demanding creation of a separate Kamtapur state, granting Scheduled Tribe status to the community and arranging tripartite talks with the Centre and state government before August 15,Ē Ray said.

He said home ministry officials assured them of inclusion of the community along with other communities of Assam in the Scheduled Tribe list and preparation of bill was already under way, and they would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the minister concerned to table the bill in the next parliamentary session.

The officials had also clarified that opposition against granting Scheduled Tribe status to the communities of Assam by any organisation would not create any hurdle or do any harm to any community, Ray said.